He supposed it was a lot to ask of her to accept his story at face value, but she’d freed him from the curse. He thought she, more than any other, would believe. He turned and prowled toward the window and stared out into the night sky. So many buildings and lights. So many people. The world was a far different place than it had been when he’d last walked upon it.
Araminta gasped and he swung around, his senses flaring, searching for any danger. There was none. There was only the two of them in the room. “What is it?” His tone was gruffer now, but it was impossible for him to hide his disappointment and anger.
She pointed, her eyes wide as she stared at him. “Your back.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and nodded. “It is the tattoo of the lion, king of the beasts. He lives within me. I am he and he is me. We are one.”
Leander had a thought then and stalked around the side of the bed. “Why do you fear me now?”
She clenched the covers so hard that her fingers turned white. “Because I don’t know you.” She paused and cleared her throat. “I thought you were a dream.” A delicate pink color stained her cheeks.
Leander paused as a vague memory flitted through him, a dream of a woman, this woman. Had he had one? Memories of his time in captivity were vague at best, although her scent and the feel of her body were familiar.
It did not matter. He was here now and that was all he needed to worry about.
“I mean you no harm, but I must protect you. Hades and his minions will be after both of us.”
Araminta frowned and eased out of the bed, pulling the sheet with her and wrapping it around her body. “Enough. Please stop. I know this is some kind of prank.”
He tilted his head to one side and studied her. There was no mistaking the genuine hurt in her voice. “Why do you say that? Why can I not simply want you?”
She laughed, but it was a sad sound rather than a happy one. It made him want to go to her, pull her into his arms and offer comfort. He’d never done anything like that before. Hadn’t wanted to. Already she was changing him.
“Because everything you’re saying is from my book. Well, almost everything. The animal is different. I’ve only written about the tiger and the bear yet, but only the book about the tiger has been released.”
Pure possessiveness streaked through him, quickly followed by jealousy. He didn’t know how to handle the volatile emotions. She belonged to him, not to Roric or Marko. “You do not need the tiger or the bear. They are not for you.”
She frowned and shook her head. “That’s what I’m saying. They’re figments of my imagination. I wrote about them in my books. The lion was actually the next one in the series. I had a dream. I’ve already made notes…” Her voice trailed off and she seemed to gather herself. “Look, if you go I won’t make any trouble. I won’t complain to the hotel or anything.”
Leander shook his head. “I cannot leave you. Not with Hades out there somewhere, watching and waiting. You are in danger.”
Araminta needed to get dressed, pack her bags and get the heck out of here. Home beckoned, and even that sanctuary had been invaded. She’d never been the victim of a break-in before. Hillsboro was a quiet town with little crime. Someone must have seen her leave on Friday. Or perhaps they’d simply chosen her at random. Either way, she needed to get home and sort things out.
She hoped nothing valuable had been stolen. Not that she had much that would bring a thief any money, except a set of pearls her grandmother had left her. They could take her television for all she cared—it was twenty years old and clunky. Or her stereo, which she’d owned for at least a decade. Her work was the only thing of value and she had her laptop with her, so that was safe.
And she was avoiding the issue at hand—a very large, naked issue. Leander kept insisting he was a warrior of the Lady of the Beasts. Just her luck to end up with the sexiest guy she’d ever set her eyes on and he was either in on a very mean practical joke or was a sandwich short of a picnic. Either way, she needed to get him out of her room.
With the bedside light on, she could see him clearly, and she wondered how she could have ever thought him to be nothing more than a dream. He was much too substantial, too masculine, too everything not to be real.
He dwarfed her with his height. He had to be at least a foot taller than her five-four. His hair was even more spectacular than she’d imagined. It was a unique combination of blond, orange, reddish brown and gold that somehow seemed natural on him. His eyes were slightly slanted and golden. His face was unusual with its broad forehead and slightly flattened nose.
But it was the rest of him she couldn’t keep her eyes off of. He stood with his hands on his hips and his legs planted slightly apart, which emphasized the thick muscles in his calves and thighs. His shoulders were as broad as a doorway and his biceps bulged. She’d only seen abs like his on the covers of men’s health magazines. He was totally impressive.
He was also massively aroused. His cock jutted out in front of him, long and thick. The head was broader than the shaft and it was a dark shade of reddish purple, engorged and ready to get down to business.
Araminta swallowed hard at the thought of having that impressive cock buried inside her. Was it even possible? He was much larger than either of her previous lovers. Might take some work, but it would be worth it.
And what the heck was she thinking? He was a stranger.
Problem was he didn’t feel like one.
She pulled the sheet tighter around her and prayed he couldn’t see her nipples pebbled against the material. Her pussy was swollen and damp and ready to take him. She’d never been so aroused in her life.
She needed to get him out of here before she did something stupid, like jump him. “You have to go.”
Sadness emanated from him and she found herself almost feeling sorry for him.
“I cannot leave you. I must stay with you for twenty-four hours.”
Just like from her book. “Until the curse is broken.”
“Yes.”
He really believed what he was saying. She didn’t know if that made him dangerous or simply a man who needed medical help. He turned slightly away from her again and she caught another glimpse of the tattoo on his back. The lion was majestic, his jaw open to expose deadly fangs, his claws sharp and ready to defend himself. He really was beautiful.
“Where did you get it? The tattoo?”
He raked his hand through his hair again and she tried not to notice the way the muscles in his biceps and chest rippled. “I have always had it. As I have said, the lion is me and I am the lion.” His gold eyes narrowed on her face and she took a step back. “I will show you.”
Leander crouched down in front of her until his hands touched the floor. His gaze never left hers as he threw back his head and growled. The feral sound made her take a step back. It sounded just like a real lion. Which simply meant he was a good mimic, nothing more.
At first, she thought she was seeing things and rubbed her eyes. His image seemed to blur until it was overlaid with another. For a brief moment, lion and man seemed to share the same space.
Hands and feet became large paws, thighs and biceps morphed into thick flanks. Fur grew from under his skin, covering him in a reddish brown coat with highlights of orange and blond. His hair fluffed around his face, encircling it in a thick mane. His features changed, flattened even more, the man taken over by the animal.